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Thursday, November 8, 2012

Wow, Where Have I Been?

Sorry, I did it again. Here's the catchup and you can tell me if I sound busy enough to have an excuse for my disappearance.

1. Geri's Spine. We finally had that MRI to determine the reason behind her unexplained sacral scar. Survey says... she is fine. Her spine is perfectly normal and the scar is very surface level, so it was probably a cyst or something that they removed because it was in the diaper area and getting irritated or infected. Really wish they had just told us about it, so we could have skipped the anesthesia and MRI... but who cares? My kid is healthy (in this area, at least) and that's cause to celebrate.

2. Geri's Corneas. I can't remember if I mentioned this in the past, but Geri's corneas are severely scarred from high pressures in her eyes. This sort of thing happens when glaucoma goes untreated so long that the eyes stretch to an abnormal size, I guess. Her right eye pressures are very stable and the scar is right smack in the middle of her already narrow field of vision, so we saw a cornea specialist and he recommended we go ahead with a transplant. Is it risky? Yeah, in a sense, but many of the risks can be mitigated with careful monitoring. Will there be a benefit? Yes, definitely. Probably a huge increase in visual acuity in her right eye. In the past, every tiny jump in vision has brought on a huge jump in development, so there is reason to believe this could be a big deal for her. We are on the waiting list for a cornea, but since the tissue has to be the same age as hers, the time frame is hard to predict. Five-year-old's don't die as regularly as us old farts. I'm pretty okay with the waiting because of that simple fact, that Geri's new cornea means someone else's child died. I'm going to stop thinking about it now, because it invariably makes me cry.

3. TJ's School Stuff. It's improving, but his dr. and his teacher and his principal all seem to think he has AD/HD in some form or another. However, his teacher also has him pegged as gifted and talented. He's reading at a 5th grade level, and his math and science and such are solidly grade level. I suspect his math is about to jump, as we have finally found a good way to work with him on it and that's helped a bundle. At any rate, he seems to be sleeping marginally better and his vitamin and mineral levels have been deemed normal. I still want him tested for a sensory disorder. I think he's auditory, smell and taste defensive.

4. Geri Started at CSDB. A spot finally opened up in the preschool program at the School for the Deaf and Blind, so she started this week. She's doing great, transitioning nicely. I'm looking forward to not having to drive to Denver 3+ times per week. We will save about $400/month on gas money, I kid you not. Plus eating out in Denver... It was totally worth it to have her in the program at Anchor Center, and I'm going to miss Anchor soooooo much, but this is the start of a new phase and it came at a great time, since our Out Of Pocket (OOP) expenses reset on 1 January and we will have to start paying for medical stuff again. Our savings are almost depleted after the last year, so this will give us new financial reserves for the new medical expenses. Especially with the cornea transplant coming, since it will require a bunch of new meds and EUAs every six weeks for about nine months. Each EUA has, typically, cost us $200 OOP. Oh, and that little thing called Christmas is coming. Don't know if you heard the music on the radio yet.

5. Random Thoughts. ~ For pete's sake, can we get through Thanksgiving before the lights and music come out?!?! ~ I wonder if voter turnout was unusually high in states where legalizing marijuana was on the ballot. "I'm normally too stoned to remember to vote, but this is important!" ~ I'm thoroughly addicted to this VH1 reality show called "Couple's Therapy" and it makes me feel like I'm going to have to turn over a few of my IQ points. ~ I hope hypochondriacs are not aware of that show "Mystery Diagnosis" on the Oprah network. ~ My kids seem to be having a hilarity growth spurt. They have been saying the funniest stuff lately, and I don't remember them being this hilarious before. ~ Leaving your Christmas lights up all year is sort of lazy... but leaving your Halloween decorations up all year is just plain creepy. ~